“I’m over here, Ranvir.”
Turning, he found her kneeling a few feet away, speaking softly to a young girl cradling her arm. After a moment, she stood and faced him. His heart stuttered at the sight of the dark bruise on her cheek.
“You said you weren’t hurt,” he accused, rushing to her side. He gently probed the injury, watching each time she winced. A visual scan assured she would be fine. Relief left him trembling, and he dropped his hand to his side to hide it.
“I didn’t say that. I said I was fine. Which I am. This,” she gestured to her face, “is just a bruise. It’ll heal. Especially if you know how to operate the med beds.”
“The med…” he turned to where she’d pointed. Shock held him immobile. While med beds were standard on private high-end ships, there was never more than one, and they weren’t the latest combat models capable of repairing a cyborg’s metal framework. This one even appeared able to replenish nanobots if necessary.
Taly shouldn’t own one, let alone two, but in the short time he’d known her, he’d discovered what was impossible for most was normal for Taly.
“So, do you know how to operate them?” Taly asked.
Ranvir moved to the control panel at the head of one of the beds. The computer in his brain quickly analyzed its make and model. “Yes. Once it scans the patient, you approve the treatment selected, and then the bed takes over.”
“It’s really that simple?” Her eyes widened in surprise.
“Yes.”
“Show me,” she demanded.
“Get on the bed,” he ordered.
She rolled her eyes at him. “Not me. Sasha.”
Before Ranvir could question who Sasha was, Taly lifted the child she’d been talking with onto the bed.
“Momma,” the child cried out.
“It’s okay, Sasha,” her mother, nervously standing by, reassured her. “It won’t hurt. I promise.”
“She’s never used a med bed before?” Taly asked, unable to keep the shock out of her voice. Med beds were used to give children immunizations and treat childhood illnesses.
“There was only one bed for our section of District Twelve,” the woman replied defensively, “unless you are on the verge of dying, the Section Medic won’t allow you access.”
Ranvir could tell Taly wanted to rant and rave at how wrong that was, and he agreed. Every citizen should have the same access to health care, but he also knew that wasn’t the case. Taly had only ever experienced the privilege of growing up as the daughter of a Supreme Judge and then the winner of the Worlds competition. He could tell she hadn’t realized just how privileged she’d been until now.
She forced a bright smile on her face and focused on Sasha. “Hey, sweetie, so what will happen is you will lie back on this soft bed.” She patted the med bed, showing Sasha it was soft. Then she helped the child lie back, still gingerly holding her arm across her chest. “Now, in a minute, the bed will activate, and it will feel like a weighted blanket is covering you, even though you won’t be able to see it.”
“I won’t be able to move?” Frightened little eyes locked with Taly’s.
“You can, but it would be better if you don’t. If you’re brave for just a few minutes, we can fix your arm, and it won’t hurt anymore. Can you do that?”
“Momma?” Sasha’s lower lip trembled as she looked at her mother.
Her mother moved closer so Sasha could see her. “You can do this, Sasha, and I’ll be right here. You’ll be able to see me the whole time.”
It took a moment, but Sasha’s lip stopped trembling. She looked to Taly and nodded.
Taly gave Sasha’s good arm a reassuring squeeze, then went to where Ranvir stood behind the transparent partition separating the control panel from the bed.
“All right, show me what to do,” she told him. “Vujcec, come over here and watch, too. The more of us who know how to use this, the better it will be.”
As Vujcec approached, Ranvir shifted Taly, so her back was pressed against his front, preventing Vujcec from touching her.
“This is where you power up the bed,” he told her, making sure his arm brushed hers as he moved to press a green icon on the dark panel. The console immediately lit up, followed by a soft hum. “Then you press this.”
He felt Taly’s breath catch and saw her nipples pebble beneath her shirt as he brushed his arm along the curve of her breast when he reached to touch the icon that read ‘Diagnose.’